NEWS
Garcia, Lake, Cole top Maryland racing in 2007
Posted: Sunday, December 30, 2007 6:37 PM
SCOTT LAKE
Jim McCue/MJC photo
Luis Garcia, Scott Lake, and Robert Cole have wrapped up year-end titles at the major Maryland tracks for the calendar year in the jockey, trainer, and owner divisions, respectively.
Lake and Cole also finished at the top of the standings for the Laurel Park fall meeting, which concluded on Saturday afternoon.
Garcia missed nearly six weeks with a broken wrist but finished second in the rider standings during Laurel Park’s 17-week meeting.
Garcia had 140 victories at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course in 2007 and captured riding titles during the Pimlico spring and Laurel summer meets. He also won a career-best five at Laurel on October 8.
The 23-year-old arrived in Maryland as an apprentice in 2003 and has developed into a top five rider at the major Maryland tracks.
Horacio Karamanos (116) and Jeremy Rose (111) were the only other riders to win more than 100 races during the 180 live days at the major Maryland tracks this year.
“I have been knocking at the door for a couple [of years] so I am happy to be in the top spot,” said Garcia, who earned a career-best $4.3-million in ‘07. “I enjoy what I am doing and ride every race like it is the last one. I work hard in the morning and will continue to try to get better. In this business, you learn something new every single day.”
Lake saddled 113 winners at the major Maryland tracks during the year, 47 more than John Rigattieri.
Lake, 42, captured the Laurel winter, Pimlico spring, and Laurel fall training titles. He is in a close race with trainer Steve Asmussen to take the nation’s leading trainer title by number of wins in 2007. Through Saturday, Lake had 480 wins and Asmussen had 482 wins.
“I like running in Maryland,” Lake said. “The track surfaces at both Laurel and Pimlico are outstanding, and management has been great to us. Having Robert Cole as an owner certainly helps as well. He makes it very easy to be successful in the state.”
Cole is the state’s top owner for the second consecutive year. Cole’s horses won 33 times from 120 starts. The Baltimore County native is ranked third nationally in victories and ranks in the top 15 in earnings.
